On Monday, three House Republicans and three House Democrats reintroduced the Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act (POWADA), billed as a bipartisan proposal to strengthen anti-discrimination protections for older workers.
If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and swims like a duck, it’s probably a duck.
Hold that thought while I tell you about someone who probably wouldn’t believe me. Continue reading
One of the largest jury verdicts in recent memory for a claim of employment discrimination was a $25.6 million award to a white manager who alleged that her former employer fired her because of her race.
But these wins involving discrimination against the so-called “majority” are few and far between.
Just getting the case to trial is difficult. Continue reading
A few months ago, I blogged about a lawsuit in which the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleged that an employer denied a deaf job applicant’s accommodation request and terminated his candidacy because verbal communication and hearing were job requirements for the position in a remote setting.
Late last month, that case settled for $150,000.
But writing a check is only the beginning for this employer. Continue reading
Wait, Eric! Didn’t you blog about this yesterday? Continue reading
“Eric, we have an employee who needed four weeks off for hip surgery. We provided it. After the surgery, they requested three more months off to have a second surgery. We provided it. Then, they experienced even more complications that required even more surgery, and their doctor told us they couldn’t work with or without accommodations for an additional three to six months. Do we have to accommodate this too?” Continue reading
I’m generally skeptical when I read about lawsuits that individuals accused of discrimination bring against their former employers. Continue reading
Federal laws, such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, apply to most U.S. businesses across the country to make it unlawful to discriminate and retaliate against employees. But when resolving claims of discrimination and retaliation, state laws generally come into play.
And not all state laws are alike.
Earlier this month, an employer learned the hard way that it could not rely on a contract provision to greenlight discrimination.
Continue reading
The Employer Handbook Blog